ABSTRACT
VAIŚE IKA: The “Atomic” school of orthodox Indian thought. One of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy, together with Nyāya, Sā khya, Yoga, Pūrva-Mīmā sā, and Vedānta, Vaisheshika (pronounced vy shesh ee kah) means “particularity,” the characteristics that distinguish a particular thing from all other things. The system is also called “owl” (Aulūka, from ulūka), because of its founder’s habit of meditating all day and, like an owl, eating at night. It was founded by the legendary “Atom eater,” Kanada, probably about 400 A.D.
